9 Batsmen with the most dot balls in a single IPL season

In cricket, rotating the strike while keeping the scoreboard ticking is crucial. The importance of this only goes up in a format like T20, where big totals on the board are the norm.

In the shortest format of the game, dot balls are considered to be pressure-building deliveries. When playing in a high-intensity tournament like the Indian Premier League (IPL), players prefer playing as few dots as possible.

However, there are times when a few dot balls become inevitable due to various factors. In the process, some batsmen have ended up with the unwanted record of playing the most dots in a single IPL season. While most of these batsmen have done well despite the dots played, some of them have failed to help their team's cause.

---

Batsmen who played most dots in a single IPL season

#1 Michael Hussey (2013) - 203 dots

Michael Hussey of Chennai Super Kings

Australia's Michael Hussey has played more dot balls than any other player in a single IPL season. In IPL 2013, while playing for the Chennai Super Kings, Mike Hussey was the winner of the 'Orange Cap' with 733 runs in 17 matches at an average of 52.35 and a decent strike rate of 129.50.

However, in the same tournament, he ended up playing 203 dot balls and became the only batsman to have played over 200 dot balls in a single IPL edition.

#2 Rahul Dravid (2013) - 199 dots

Rahul Dravid in IPL 2013

Rahul Dravid, known for his heroics in the longest format of the game, has played the second-highest number of dot balls in a single IPL season.

In what was his last year in the tournament, Dravid faced 425 balls and played 199 dots during IPL 2013 for the Rajasthan Royals. He scored 471 runs in that edition of the tournament at a strike rate of 111.

#3 Lendl Simmons (2015) - 198 dots

Lendl Simmons

Lendl Simmons is a big striker of the ball and had a good season in 2015. He was the joint second-highest run-scorer in the tournament with 540 runs in 13 games.

However, 198 of the 441 balls he faced that year were dots. Lendl Simmons is one of three Caribbean cricketers who feature on this list.

#4 Sachin Tendulkar (2011) - 194 dots

Sachin Tendulkar

Even one of the greatest players in the game, Sachin Tendulkar, finds a spot on this list. In 2011, Sachin Tendulkar scored 533 runs in 16 games - his second-highest in a single IPL season.

But he also ended up playing 194 dot balls - the joint fourth highest in the tournament. Nearly 40 per cent of the deliveries he faced that season were dots.

#5 Jacques Kallis (2010) - 194 dots

Jacques Kallis

Jacques Kallis, who played for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), in IPL 2010. The all-rounder is another player who had a good season despite the high number of dots played.

The former South African cricketer scored 572 runs in IPL 2010 - his highest ever in a single IPL season. More than half the deliveries Kallis faced that season were dots.

#6 Sourav Ganguly (2010) - 190 dots

Sourav Ganguly

The 'Prince of Kolkata', while representing the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in 2010, played 190 dot balls. Sourav Ganguly averaged 38 with the bat that season and also scored 493 runs.

However, nearly 45 per cent of the deliveries that he faced were dots. Ganguly's strike rate in IPL 2010 was close to 118, the highest in a season in his IPL career.

Chris Gayle

#7 Chris Gayle (2013) - 190 dots

For someone like Chris Gayle, dot balls would hardly make a difference. He's got the power game to make up for those dots, and that is exactly what he did during IPL 2013.

2011, 2012 and 2013 were three of his best seasons in the tournament and the West Indies star was absolutely ruthless back then with the bat. Even though nearly 42 per cent of the balls he faced were dots, Gayle had a strike rate of 156.29 that season and scored 708 runs.

#8 Dwayne Smith (2014) - 188 dots

Dwayne Smith

Dwayne Smith is another player who excelled, even though he played a lot of dots in a single IPL season. In 2014, the West Indies cricketer scored failed to score off 188 deliveries that he faced.

He still maintained a strike rate of 136 that season and accrued 566 runs at an average of 35.37 in 16 matches.

#9 Rahul Dravid (2012) - 186 dots

Rahul Dravid

Rahul Dravid played the most dot balls in the IPL 2012 season. 'The Wall' scored 466 runs in 16 games at an average of 29 back then.

186 of the 412 balls he faced that season didn't see any runs scored. He is the only player to feature twice on this list.